Ridiculous Ryan McGinley Copyright Lawsuit Dismissed

By Judy Berman

Aug. 19, 2011

Share:

The first time we heard about the copyright lawsuit against photographer Ryan McGinley, we decided it was pretty ridiculous. Now, thankfully, a federal judge agrees. Judge Richard J. Sullivan has ruled against artist/musician Janine Gordon (aka JahJah), who claimed that no fewer than 150 of McGinley’s images were “substantially based” on hers. McGinley countered that his photos bear no resemblance to Gordon’s, a position supported by Sullivan in his rather exasperated-sounding decision: “the dictates of good eyes and common sense lead inexorably to the conclusion that there is no substantial similarity between Plaintiff’s works and the allegedly infringing compositions of McGinley.” If you’re interested in seeing for yourself precisely how tenuous the connection between the two photographers’ work is, there are plenty of examples in Sullivan’s decision [PDF], as well as at ANIMAL. [via ArtsBeat]